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(No Model.)

D. 'H. BUDLONG;

SEA WALL.

Patented Mar. 7.1882.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVlD H. BUDLONG, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SEA-WALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,454, dated March 7, 1882.

I Application filed January 11, 1882. (No model.)

- LONG, of St. Louis, in the county ot'St. Louis,

and in the State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Sea-'Walls, Piers, and other Similar Structures; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a partof this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of sea-walls, piers, caissons, coffer-dams, and other similar struc tures; and it has for its objects to provide a trough or box, of peculiar construction and comparatively indestructible material, which may be anchored on the bottom of the sea, a river, harbor, or other place, as more fully hereinafter specified. These objects I attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which is represented a section of a beach, and an improved sea-wall constructed according to my invention.

The letter A indicates the wallsof my improved trough, box, or structure. These are composed of hydraulic cementorothercement, and are made in sections of suitable length, set together upon a suitable bottom, B. The cement which I employ in the formation of the box consists preferably of a compound for which I made application for Letters Patent of the United States on or about the 10th day of January, 1882, although I do not wish to limit myself to the use of such cement. The spaces D between the outer walls of the boxor trough as thus constructed are to be filled with the same cement in a plastic or semi-plastic state, as more fully hereinafter specified. The upper part of the space 0 is intended to be subsequently filled in with cement, as indicated by the letter D, and a cap, E, of cement, to be finally formed upon the top, for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In order to strengthen the whole and give the structure the greatest possible solidity, the walls may be connected by means of crossties B, as indicated. The walls A A A A are connected at the ends by suitable end walls,

forming a shell having double side walls, and a central open space, 0, for the purpose hereinafter explained. The shell as thus constructed is towed out to the position where it is to be placed, and is gradually sunk into position by filling the troughs constituting the outer walls of the shell with cement, as before indicated, the shell being constructed of such height as to extend above the surface of the water, after settling upon the water-bed, after which the filling D and cap E are applied, inclosing the air above the water-level in the central space, C, said confined air, when of considerable volume, by reason of the proportions of the structure, operating so as to counteract the tendency of the Whole to sink in the bed. If, however, the structure should show atendencyto sink in the bed and become ultimately entirely submerged, or in case, after being placed in position, itshould be found necessary, from any other cause, to increase the height of the structure, a second section constructed like' the first may be placed upon said first-mentioned structure while it still extends above the surface of the water. In forming the said secondary on theprimary structure the cap on said primary structure may be removed so as to form a continuous air-space, O; or it may be left intact, in which case separate airspaces in the two sections will be formed, which will act in combination to buoy up the structure and prevent undue settling in the bed.

It will be observed that as the structure settles in the bed the lower part of the central space, 0, of the section resting upon the bed will become packed with sand or the soilforming the bed, to a certain extent compressing the,air into the upper part of the section, thus causing the section to anchor itself in the sand, While the compressed air in the upper part tends to prevent the section from sinking entirely, unless the weight of the section and nature of the bottom or bed are such as to prevent the body of air from completely buoying up the section, in which case a superimposed section is employed, as before mentioned, by which the volume of inclosed air is increased, and the settling is by such means ultimately arrested.

It will be evident that the water will rise to a greater or less extent into the central chamber, 0, according to the comparative Weight of the shell and the capacity of the said central section, so that by enlarging the capacity of the central chamber as the weight of the structure is increased a point in the scale of buoyancy will be finally reached which will support or anchor the structure in the bed of the body of Water, no matter how unstable may be the nature of said bed.

The Wall as thus constructed may be made of any length by forming a proper numbvr of connected sections, the ends being secured together in any suitable manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improved sea-Wall or similar structure, composed ofboxes or'l roughs constructed ot'hydraulic or other cement, or artificial stone, with double walls, the spaces between the outer walls being adapted to be filled with cement to sink the said troughs, the whole being surmounted by a suitable cap to confine the air in the central space, substantially as specified.

2. A sea-Wall constructed of two parallel double walls provided with suitable bottoms and an intervening inclosed space adapted to contain air to arrest the sinking of the structure, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 11th day of January, 1882.

D. H. BUDLONG.

Witnesses:

J. J. MCCARTHY, CHAS. D. DAVIS. 

